Ladder structure.



L. W. WALLACE.

LADDER STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25| 1915.

11, 1 89,5 14;. Patented July 4, 1916.

.LK zZZdCex LEONARD W. WALLACE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

LADDER STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed J'une 25, 1915. Serial No. 36,272.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LEONARD W. WALLACE a subject of the King of England, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladder Structures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ladder structures and has for its object the provision of a, ladder for use oninclined roofs or the like and which includes step portions which are angularly adjustable with relation to the body portion of the ladder so that they may be adjusted to lie in horizontal planes irrespective of the relative slant of the surface on which the ladder is positioned whereby said step portions may serve as proper seats for buckets of paint or for tools and whereby the .safety and the convenience of persons working on the ladder is enhanced.

It is further an object to provide such an adjusting means for the steps of a ladder structure which may be readily and quickly operated to properly position the steps and which comprises a structure of maximum simplicity and lightness consistent with strength and durability.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts as more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding p arts throughout the several-views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a ladder structure constructed in accordance with the present invention and comprising a plurality of connected ladder sections2 Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through one of the sections on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through one of the sections on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, Fig. a is an end edge view of one of the ladder sections, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bracket member for securing the steps to the sides of the ladder, Fig. 6 is a view in plan showing a modified means of connecting the ladder sections.

Referring. now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, there are shown a plurality of ladder sections A adapted torbe secured on a roof or the like in standing relation, and each including side bars 5. The

preferred means for connecting these ladder sections comprises rods 6 secured to the end of the side bars and extending outwardly thereof, the free ends of the rods carried by one end of one section being bifurcated at 7 to receive the ends of the rods carried by the adjacent end of the other section, and secured as by the bolts 8. Y

Each of the sections 5 are secured together and held in spaced relation by bolts 9 and further by diagonal cross strips 10 at the end portions of their body edges. Each section is also provided with a series of step portions 11 which are angularly adjustable so as to position them in the horizontal planes irrespective of the angularity of the roof on which the section is placed, and to accomplish this the steps are pivotally secured between the side bars 5 by angle plates l2 at their ends which are pivoted to bolts 13 extending through the side members, these pivotal connections of the plates being disposed adjacent the bottom edge portions of the sides 5. The inner faces of the sides 5 are Provided adjacent their top edges with grooves 11 extending longitudinally throughout and slidably set in these grooves are bars 15 which carry at spaced intervals inwardly extending pins 16 slidably disposed in slots 17 in the plates 12, which extend transversely of the said bars 15 so that as the bars are moved the steps will be swung around the pivot bolts 13 for actuating these bars, adja* cent ends thereof are reduced as at 18 andv passed through a transverse plate 19 secured across the adjacent ends'of the side bars 5 and wing nuts 20 are threaded on said reduced ends 18 outwardly thereof. The bars are resiliently urged toward the other end of the ladder section by springs 21 secured to the bars 5 and bearing against pins 22 projecting from the bars 15. Thus to adjust the steps, the nuts` 2O are turned in either direction, or one of the steps may be grasped and swung to its desired relative position,'thug swinging the other steps and the nuts may then be tightened to hold them in this desired position. The bars 15 are held in place by the angle plates 1:2 of the steps, but a further means for holding said bars is provided comprising screws 23 which are passed through slots 24 in the bars 15 and engage the main bars 5.

Thus an exceedingly simple and compact device has been provided which may be readily operated to position the steps thereof at any rela-tive position. It is noted that the structure for turning the steps is suthciently housed and held between the plates 12 and the main side bars 5 so that the device is not liable to accidental injury.

In Fig. 6 is shown a slightly modified form of connecting the sections A, which consists merely in securing them with their sides in lapped relation and passing bolts 25 through the engaging side bars. That ladder section which is used as the uppermost one has secured outwardly to its sides a pair of hooks 26 which are adapted to hook over the upper edge of the roof to hold the ladder structure in place. To facilitate placing the ladders on the roof and moving them about their arm, wheels 27 may be secured on one of the side bars of the section, so that it may be turned edge-wise and rolled into place.

lVhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I have merely done so for the salte of convenience and I do not wish to be limited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious that numerous changes, may be made within the details of construction thereof without in any way departing from the spirit of the spaced relation, of step sections, each including a lateral portion at each end pivoted to the side bars and provided with slots, the inner faces of the side bars being provided with longitudinal grooves, bars slidably held in said grooves, pins on the bars extending into 'the slots and means for moving and holding the bars.

3. A ladder structure comprising side bars, steps disposed between the bars and having lateral portions pivoted to the inner faces thereof and provided with slots, the said inner faces of the bars being provided with longitudinal grooves, strips in said grooves held by the lateral portions of the steps, pins on the strips extending through the slots. means resilient-.lv urging' the strips in one direction and means adjustably holding said strips against movement in such direction.

In testimony whereof, I aIiX my signature, in the presence oi two witnesses.

LEONARD W. IVALLACE.

Vitnesses B. J. STANLEY, WVM. J. BOARDMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

